The Times newspaper 'probed for hacking emails' in UK

The Times newspaper is being investigated by British police over claims of hacking emails, reports said today.

The Times newspaper is being investigated by British police over claims of hacking emails, reports said on Thursday.

The investigation comes after an ongoing inquiry into the ethics of the British press heard that a journalist at the broadsheet had hacked a police blogger's email.

Tom Watson, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour party, said he had received confirmation from London's Metropolitan Police that the Times, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News International, was being investigated.

Watson said on Twitter: "The Met police have confirmed to me they are investigating Rupert Murdoch's newspaper The Times over email hacking."

He had written to the police last month asking them to investigate the matter.

A spokeswoman for News International said she had no comment.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "We can confirm that a letter was received on Monday 23 January, from MP Tom Watson."

It added that it was not prepared to give "a running commentary" on the investigation.

News International was forced to close down its News of the World tabloid in July following a public outcry over claims it had hacked the voicemail of a missing girl who was later found murdered.